starting Positions indicated.
Backs :-Dan(full back), Oli (centre), Fintan(scrum half), Finlay(wing ), Ruari(wing), Leo(fly half), Harrison, (wing), Jack (centre)

Forwards: -Finbar(prop) , Sonny(hooker), Calum(2nd row), Ellis (hooker), Ryan (prop)

So here we are ,before we knew it, (or maybe not), the last games of the season. The venue was the Southport rugby festival and we were in a group of nine, (Aspull, Huddersfield, Longlevens, Wellingborough, Tarleton, Waterloo, Southport A and B). On registration we were informed that Aspull had withdrawn,(word is that they had heard The special one Callllllllllum was playing).

The format was 12-a-side, 7 mins each way, no conversion kicks, no biting gouging or kicking, (Fintan pay attention).

John arrived resplendent in uber tight skanky old shorts, for the delight of the mothers and set about injecting a bit of life into our slovenly charges.

1st Match vs Longlevens RFC, (Gloucester) 10-10
Tries :- Leo, Finlay
We didn’t cover ourselves in glory as we were at the wrong pitch until a bothered looking official found us and we trotted off for a rushed start 15 minutes late.
The teams appeared well matched and there was nothing in it until scrum in their half produced the ball from Fintan to Leo down the wing to score. This didn’t last long and Longlevens hit straight back with a scrum based try of their own and a ball steal try to lead 10-5. With only a couple of minutes left we were pinned back in our half, Ellis cleared the ball, passed to Finlay, who ran the full length of the pitch to secure a 10 all draw. Definitely a little rusty.

2nd Match vs Firwood Waterloo RFC, 5-5
Tries :- Ruari
Ok, first match out of the way, boys awake and remembering the rules, Waterloo a team we know well, lets get our first win.
The match started well with plenty of possession and a fine run by Harrison who made twenty yards or more with a meandering cross field effort. This was followed by a powerful run by Ruari and then a disallowed try by Fintan, (forward pass). The half ended 0-0 but we looked the better team.
The second half kicked off with another decent Harrison run and deep into their territory, but then double disaster struck. Jack took the ball in and ended up at the bottom of the ruck, he got the ball out but at the cost of a mangled arm. Jack off, but we kept possession and scored from a scrum with Ruari, but at further cost with tough as old boots Fintan carried off broken.
The boys played well for the remainder of the match with 11 men, but an excellent solo effort saw Waterloo secure a 5-5 draw.
Both Jack and Fintan were taken off to the First aid tent, and after their first taste of gas and air, (wow man, my head is like…wow), were both taken to hospital. Jack has a fracture of the elbow and Fintan a broken collar bone. Unfortunately the injuries didn’t end there with Calum finishing that match with a badly bruised and swollen knee.

3rd Match vs Southport B 5-20
Tries :- Finlay
With only a small squad we could only muster 11 to start the third match, which quickly dwindled to 10 as Calum was unable to continue with his injured leg. 10 boys covering 12 positions became difficult, without Calum, Ryan, Sonny, Ellis and Finbar had to find extra horsepower whilst the backs multitasked, I think Dan became, wing/centre/fullback, dependent on the situation.
The boys carried on the best they could, but it was defend and damage limitation for the remaining 12 minutes. Despite being pinned in our half most of this time and two players down, Finlay was able to gather the ball and make another full length run to score.

4th Match vs Southport A 5-10
Tries :- Ruari
As Southport knew we only had 10 players, they kindly allowed one of their squad to play for us to make us up to 11. With three key players down, it was all change and Oli came in as scrum half. The backs re-arranged themselves to cover the loss of Jack and Fintan and we gave Southport a pretty good match. We were 5-0 down at half time despite an excellent charge by Finbar that had the parents cheering. Second half saw us 10-0 down but an excellent restart and follow-up saw us gain a scrum and Ruari scamper round for his second of the day.

With a limited squad and the dreadful injuries the boys played as well as they could. There was a general lifting of the game after the Longlevens match, but I’d like to pick out Oli’s efforts at scrum half and Ruari’s dynamic and strong performance in the thick of the action as the best.

I have no doubt that with Fintan, Jack and Calum, we would have been back for day two competing for a final place, but alas the three amigos will be at home nursing their wounds whilst the rest of us wonder what to do with our suddenly free Sunday. Get well soon boys.

Match correspondent, (and Dan’s dad),Aitch